When it comes to heating and cooling, it is normal to solely focus on if your home is comfortable or not. Many overlook the importance of other factors, such as proper airflow. Good air circulation in your home is essential for many reasons and can be the cause of a broken unit. Without the ability to efficiently move air, your health and heating and cooling system face the consequences. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of good airflow and tips to improve circulation.

Why Is Airflow Important?

Proper airflow makes breathing easier for residents, because it helps regulate temperature and allergen buildup. Your home will have inconsistent temperatures throughout if airflow is hindered, which sacrifices comfort. Each room may experience hot and cold spots and different temperatures daily. Without air circulation, allergens and pollutants can settle in your home and increase health symptoms. For example, moist conditions combined with poor ventilation can cause mold and mildew growth.

What Causes Poor Airflow?

Poor airflow can be caused by many things, but the most common reasons include a blocked or dirty unit, obstructed vents, or clogged air filters. If you are unsure if you have poor airflow in your home, consider the following issues:

• Hot and cold spots
• Weak or no air coming from vents
• Dust buildup
• Doors closing by themselves
• System blowing the wrong temperature air
• Whistling noises

How To Improve Airflow In Foley

If you are experiencing one or multiple of the airflow issues, we have you covered! Below are 6 tips to improve airflow in your home.

• Utilize Fans
• Maintain Clean Filters
• Open Windows
• Ensure Vents Are Clear
• Clean Unit
• Schedule HVAC Maintenance

Utilize Fans

To create better airflow in your home, we recommend using various types of fans.

Ceiling fans can help circulate air in specific rooms and regulate room temperatures. Pro tip: ceiling fans have different settings for summer and winter, so it will not freeze you out in the winter in the correct setting!

Exhaust fans in bathrooms and over stoves can help ventilation by moving air outside. If your stove fan does not move air outside, the ventilation continues to improve airflow by not keeping particles in the same area.

Stand alone fans can benefit air circulation, especially if placed blowing out a window. The CDC recommends fans to blow out windows, because it relocates particles and allergens outside.

Maintain Clean Filters

Air filters remove allergens from the air flowing through the system and into your home. If air filters are dirty or clogged, your system struggles to push air through the filter pores. This can reduce airflow and allow pollutants to slip by. It is essential to maintain clean filters throughout your home to maximize airflow, air quality, and efficiency.

Open Windows

Opening windows and doors brings in fresh, outdoor air and ventilates built up allergen particles. However, it is important to note outdoor air has pollutants of its own to sensitive residents. If residents have health conditions such as asthma, opening windows can be unsafe for their health. Be sure to evaluate outdoor air quality before opening windows and doors. If your outdoor surroundings are safe, bring in as much fresh air as possible to improve airflow in your home.

Ensure Vents Are Clear

To ensure proper airflow, add vent cleaning to your home cleaning checklist! Your system can struggle to push air through vents if they are covered or dirty. Make sure each vent in your home is open and clear of furniture. Additionally, dirty vents can spread allergens throughout your home and decrease air quality.

Clean Unit

If your heating or cooling unit is dirty, airflow can be obstructed. Outdoor units can collect debris such as grass clippings, branches, and trash. Indoor units can collect dust and be hindered by items surrounding it. It is best to ensure your unit is clean and clear of debris and personal items, such as boxes, to maximize air flow and system efficiency.

Schedule HVAC Maintenance

We promise – heating and cooling maintenance is necessary! Your Anchor Air technician will thoroughly inspect your unit and identify any malfunctions or obstructions. Our expert technicians will clean the unit from the inside out, clean air filters, and ensure each vent has proper airflow. Our goal is to keep you comfortable and maintain a reliable unit!

If you are struggling with airflow in your Alabama home, consider these 6 simple tips! Our technicians can help improve airflow in Foley and surrounding areas with heating and cooling maintenance, so give us a call to schedule your appointment! Anchor Air can help keep you breathing easy and comfortable all season long.